The state of the art provides non-human vertebrates (eg, mice and rats) and cells comprising transgenic immunoglobulin loci, such loci comprising human variable (V), diversity (D) and/or joining (J) segments, and optionally human constant regions. Alternatively, endogenous constant regions of the host vertebrate (eg, mouse or rat constant regions) are provided in the transgenic loci. Methods of constructing such transgenic vertebrates and use of these to generate antibodies and nucleic acids thereof following antigen immunisation are known in the art, eg, see U.S. Pat. No. 7,501,552 (Medarex), U.S. Pat. No. 5,939,598 (Abgenix), U.S. Pat. No. 6,130,364 (Abgenix), W002/066630 (Regeneron), W02011004192 (Genome Research Limited), W02009076464, W02009143472 and W02010039900 (Ablexis), the disclosures of which are explicitly incorporated herein. Such transgenic loci in the art include varying amounts of the human V(D) J repertoire. Existing transgenic immunoglobulin loci are based on a single human DNA source. The potential diversity of human antibody variable regions in non-human vertebrates bearing such transgenic loci is thus confined.
The inventors considered that it would be desirable to tailor the genomes of these transgenic non-human vertebrates (and thus antibody and antibody chain products of these) to address the variability—and commonality—in the natural antibody gene usage of humans. The inventors wanted to do this in order to better address human use of antibody-based therapeutic and prophylactic drugs.
It would be desirable also to provide for novel and potentially expanded repertoire and diversity of human variable regions in transgenic immunoglobulin loci and non-human vertebrates harbouring these, as well as in antibodies produced following immunisation of such animals.